Six crystalline substances were isolated from a methanol extract of the red marine alga, Rhodomela subfusa, and investigated by ultraviolet absorption, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry and chemical methods.
Three of them were identified as 2, 3-dibromo-4, 5-dihydroxybenzyl methyl ether, 2, 3-dibromo-4, 5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde and 2, 3-dibromobenzyl alcohol 4, 5-disulfate dipotassium salt. The yields of these bromophenols amounted to 0.06%, 0.02% and 9.2% of the dried seaweed respectively.
The remaining three compounds were shown to be cholesterol, palmitic acid and trans-aconitic acid.